Dyslexia Assessment Process

Why have an assessment?

• Some people worry about ‘labelling’ as, for example, ‘Dyslexic’
• At Hull Dyslexia we see the diagnosis as an incredibly powerful process
• Often people can have unanswered questions prior to an assessment such as “what am I doing wrong?’, “why can everyone else do it?”, “why does everything take me so long?”
• A diagnosis can give people a reason why they’ve found certain things difficult
• A report will include strategies to help in the future and links to resources
• It can help parents understand their child’s difficulties and how to support them at home and within the educational system
• It can be used to support an application for Exam Access Arrangements (EAAs)
• Students in Higher Education can apply for support via the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
• Reports can be used to provide reasonable adjustments in the workplace
• Once a person has been formally identified as Dyslexic they are recognised as having a disability under the Equality Act 2010

The Assessment Process

• Prior to the assessment, you will be sent a questionnaire to complete
• The assessment will take place in a quiet environment which is free from distractions
• An assessment can take up to 3 hours. It sounds like a long time, but you will be offered regular breaks
• At the start of the assessment, we will ask more questions to gain a full understanding of your history. You may be asked about medical history, educational history, family history, general health, vision, speech and hearing, co-ordination, attention, and communication.
• We will use appropriate tests to assess reading, writing, spelling and maths, underlying ability and cognitive processes such as memory and processing speed
• Assessors are trained to be impartial during assessments. They are unable to give any guidance or ‘clues’ during the assessment process as this could influence the outcome
• There is no ‘pass’ mark, you cannot ‘fail’ and everyone achieves their own unique set of scores
• We may be able to give you a brief summary of your results at the end of the assessment, but we will not be able to give you any detailed information or a diagnosis at this point
• The assessor then takes the information and scores from the assessment away, interprets them and produces a written report
• At Hull Dyslexia we ensure that our reports meet the standards set by the Standards in Assessment Committee (SASC)
• You will be notified when the report is ready and invited in for a feedback session. At this point, you will be given detailed feedback on the results of the assessment and the resulting diagnosis
• The report will include recommendations for support from any educational establishments or workplaces plus recommended resources such as assistive technology

Dyslexia Tests

Diagnostic Dyslexia ‘assessments’ are occasionally referred to as Dyslexia tests.

Regrettably, the word ‘test;’ suggests that there is one outcome and either a pass or fail.  Therefore we use the word ‘assessment’ or ‘evaluation’.

The assessment process is a collaborative effort between the assessor, the student, parents, teachers, and any other relevant professionals.

We take a holistic view of the student by collating information about their background history as well as current attainment. We use the results of our assessment, together with our observations and the information gathered, to produce a bespoke report which highlights a clearer way forward.

Why are assessments so expensive?

• Specialist Assessors are qualified to at least level 7 (post-graduate level).
• Specialist Assessors must be registered with a professional body (e.g. PATOSS) and should hold an Assessment Practising Certificate (APC).
• It is a requirement of professional bodies that Specialist Assessors complete a minimum amount of Continued Professional Development (CPD) each year
• At Hull Dyslexia we complete more than the recommended amount of CPD each year to ensure we are as up to date with any changes and developments as we can be
• Assessments require specialist materials
• The Standards in Assessment Committee (SASC) recommend which tests are acceptable to use. We follow the guidance set by SASC to ensure our diagnostic reports meet the required standards
• Assessments take up to 3 hours to complete and it then takes a significant amount of time to interpret the results and produce a report
• We aim to make assessments as affordable as we possibly can. We offer the opportunity to pay in installments and will happily discuss any individual circumstances.